10 things we have learnt over 10 years in business.
Wow! We have been in business for 10 years. It sure goes fast.
Here are some tips that we have learnt about Business, and as I was writing this I realised, they're also fabulous lessons for life as well!
It makes sense doesn't it.
1 Listen
This is such an important tip for life in general. Stop and listen.
Listen to customers, other business people, learn from the people who have done it before. Those that are ahead of you in their business will often be happy to share their ideas or experiences.
This tip could have been 'ask questions'. So many business people are curious. How do you do that? Where do you get this? Then sit back and listen.
2 Don’t listen
When Lucas was born the best advice I received was from a nurse on day 2. She said: "Listen to the advice that makes sense to you. Ignore all the rest."
When you have a child, and when you have a business, you get advice from everywhere. People selling you things, people helping, people who are just always happy to give advice about anything and everything (you know the ones).
Often the advice is conflicting. Go with the advice that works for you.
3 Be human
We all make mistakes, we are all human. And that's a good thing!
Allow yourself to be human. Take time off. Understand when someone else is having a bad day, or when you are having a bad day.
Everyone is flawed and fun, you know which part of that we are looking for!
4 Take risks
Try the new thing, take a chance. You wont be happy or successful being the same as everyone else. Sometimes being different is a risk.
Trying a new brand, a new advertising plan. A silly reel on instagram. Don't be scared to fail, because going forward is the only way we want to go.
5 Grow into it
You know when you buy clothes for the kids, you tend to buy them a size or half a size too big. I think business is like that raincoat. Always buy the raincoat a size too big. Give yourself room to grow into it.
Every time we moved warehouse it was because I could see that the next yer we would not have room for what was coming. And we always jumped a little before we were ready....and to a place a little bigger than I thought I needed. And it was never too big.
6 Start!
You have heard this absolutely everywhere - first you ned to START.
When I started I had zero subscribers to my email list.
When we started, Instagram wasn’t even invented yet!
A blank page can be daunting, but when you get the first words down, they can be a draft, or be gibberish....just write something. That's how I write blog posts. Random thoughts and ideas and then fill them in over a few reads.
The important part is to start. Then build and grow.
7 Change
EVERYTHING changes.
Oh how I dislike it, but we can't change it. ( ba dum bum!)
Just when we get comfortable, something will change. I remember the phase of everyone only wanting natural wooden toys, then we had the monochrome period, then fidget spinners.
Remember when Instagram was chronological! And made up of pretty photos of food?
It's also a good thing because if it's not working the way you are going - then you are allowed to CHANGE IT.
8 You do you
My friends favourite saying for everything!
What works for others may not work for you and that's totally OK.
I have some business women and businesses that I truly admire that do things that I would never do.
And if you are like all the others then there is nothing about you that people will remember. Besides, it's hard work trying to be someone else.
9 Be nice
If you can be anything, be nice. The best quote on Pinterest, Instagram and any coffee mug around.
It’s not a coincidence that my favourite toy brands have my favourite people running them.
Just be nice.
10 LOVE
This really should say gratitude and love. Be grateful for what you have and surround yourself with all the things that you love.
We love what we do, we love the toys we sell, we love our customers, and we are grateful that we get to do it every day.
A Birthday Voucher for you.
